Thermoplastic fastening device



@und July 28, 1964 D. CRAVATH 3,142,688

THERMOPLASTIC FASTENING DEVICE Filed April 27, 1961 Rc. l Fmz INVENTOR. .DALE C'nAvA TH Y ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 3,142,088 THERMOPLASTIC FASTENING DEVICE Dale Cravath, 714 th Ave. SE., Rochester, Minn. Filed Apr. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 105,949 1 Claim. (Cl. 16-121) This invention relates generally to fastening devices, and more particularly it relates to a fastening device which is attached to a material by the application of heat thereto.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a button or other gripping element adapted to be attached to the material by deforming a thermoplastic portion of the button which extends through the material and into a cooperating anchor element spaced on the other side of the material. My invention may be embodied in a button which is easily attached to a fabric merely by the application of heat from an electric iron so as to deform a thermoplastic portion of the button and thereby secure the same within an annular anchor element disposed on the other side of the fabric. Although the foregoing excellently illustrates one use of my device, the advantages of my invention particularly adapt the same to several other equally desirable uses. Thus, the use of my invention as an easily attachable and positively secured button is not intended to restrict the solutions which the present invention affords to the application of the same to other situations wherein a fastening device as described herein would be particularly advantageous.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fastening device of the class described which may be quickly attached to a material, and which when so attached possesses a heretofore unobtainable amount of holding ability.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a fastening device, which is an alternative embodiment thereof may be advantageously used as a door pull or drawer knob, or the like.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fastening device, which in another embodiment thereof is formed so as to permit rocking or pivotal movements between the button or'gripping element and the anchor` element thereof. Y

Other objects of this invention reside in the provision of a fastening device which may be economically manufactured, and which is characterized by the further advantages of strength and durability throughout long periods of continued use. f

The above and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claim and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts or elements throughout the several views:

FIG. l is an exploded view in perspective of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan of my invention as operatively secured to a material;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 but showing an alternative embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 5 is a View in top plan of another embodiment of my invention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5, some parts being broken away and shown in elevation.

Referring with greater particularity to the embodiment of my invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, a material in the nature of a fabric or cloth is represented generally by the 3,142,088 Patented July 28, 196.4

ICC

reference letter A, and my novel fastening device is represented in its entirety by the reference numeral 1, the same including a gripping element or button 2. The button 2 comprises a body portion 3 having a flange 3a adapted to be disposed adjacent one side 4 of the fabric A.

' The button 2 further comprises an elongated tine portion 5 secured as by deformation of one of its ends into a recess 5a defined by the body portion 3 of the button 2. In accordance with my invention, the tine portion 5 of the button 2 is formed of a thermoplastic substance, an example being one of the poly plastics. As illustrated,

the body portion 3 of the button 2 is formed of a durable material which is not thermoplastic and the thermoplastic tine portion 5 is secured thereto; however, it should be understood that for some applications, the button 2 could be formed entirely of a thermoplastic substance. Preferably, and as shown in FIG. l, the other end 6 of the tine portion 5 is somewhat pointed so as to permit the introduction thereof in an aperture 4a defined in the fabric A. In this embodiment of my invention the aperture 4a could be formed by piercing the fabric A with a suitable tool, or vthe same might also merely comprise one of the multitude of small spaces naturally formed between the warp and weft threads of a woven fabric. Of course, if the construction of the fabric A is such as to necessitate the forming of the aperture 4a by piercing the fabric A, said aperture 4a should be formed so as to be of -greater crosssectional size than the tine portion 5 of the button 2; however, if the fabric A is formed by weaving, the introduction of the tine portion S of the button 2 through the fabric A will in itself define an aperture of larger crosssectional size than the tine portion 5.` The tine portion 5 of the button 2 is introduced into the aperture 4a defined by the fabric A and extends therethrough whereby the other end 6 of the tine portion 5 projects beyond the other lside 7 of the fabric A.

My novel fastening device 1 further comprises an annular washer-like anchor element 8 having a centrally dened aperture 9 therein. The anchor element 8 is received on the projecting other end 6 of the tine portion 5 of the gripping elementor button 2 so as to dispose the anchor element 8 with one of its sides 10 adjacent the other side 7 of the fabric A. As seen particularly in FIG. 3, the aperture 9 defined in the anchor element 8 is er1- larged adjacent the other side 11 of the anchor element 8 so as to define a recess 12. In accordance with my invention, the button 2 is quickly and securely fastened to the fabric A` by deforming the projecting end portion 6 of the tine portion 5 by the application of heat thereto so as to provide an expanded end portion 6a within the enlarged recess 12 defined in the anchor element 8, as shown in FIG. 3. Obviously, such may be accomplished by any convenient means, an example being the use of a conventional electric iron. Upon deforming the tine portion S of the button 2 in the above described manner, the tine portion S becomes securely fastened to the anchor element 8, and the gripping element or button 2 is also thereby securely fastened to the fabric A.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative embodiment of my invention is therein illustrated, and will be hereinafter described. It should be noted that this alternative embodiment of my invention corresponds in many respects to the above described embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, and the parts or elements of said alternative embodiment which correspond to like parts or elements in FIGS. 1 3, are denoted by the use of the same reference characters with prime marks added thereto. In this embodiment of my invention, an extremely useful fastening device 1' in the nature of a drawer pull or door handle is provided, the same comprising a gripping element 13 adapted to be mounted on a section of rigid sheet material B such as wood or metal, which defines a pair of spaced apertures b. Th gripping element 13 is positioned adjacent one side 14 of the sheet material B and also defines a pair of spaced body or side portions 15 connected by an intermediate portion 16. The gripping element 13 is secured in accordance with my invention by a pair of anchor elements S which are disposed within corresponding recesses 16a defined in the sheet material B, as shown in FIG. 6. It will be understood by reference to the drawings that this embodiment of my invention corresponds in all other respects not speciiically above enumerated to the first described embodiment of my invention, and further description would be merely repetitious.

Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of my invention is illustrated therein, the same also corresponding in many respects to the first above described embodiment of my invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, and the parts or elements of this embodiment which correspond to like parts or elements shown in FIGS. 1-3, are denoted by the use of the same reference characters with double prime marks added thereto. This embodiment of my invention dilers from the first above described embodiment thereof by the provision of a hinge or pivotal connection between the tine portion of the button 2" and anchor element 8". This is accomplished by enlarging the aperture 17 adjacent the side 10" of the anchor element 8 so as to define a recess 18 having outwardly diverging side surfaces. The anchor element 8 is further formed so that aperture 17 therein is enlarged adjacent the other side 11 thereof whereby to dene a generally arcuate socket portion 19. Then, upon the application of heat to the projecting end portions of the tine portion 5", the same is expanded within the socket portion 19 of the anchor element 8" so as to secure the gripping element 2" to the fabric A. It is noted that the tine portion 5" of the body portion 3" is thereby secured within said socket portion 19 ofthe anchor element so as to permit limited pivotal movement of the gripping element 2 with respect to the anchor element 8" the expanded end portion 20 of the tine portion 5 being so disposed for rocking movements within the socket portion 19 of the anchor element 3". By reference to the drawings, it should be understood that this embodiment of my invention shown in FIG. 4 corresponds in all other respect not specifically abovejenumerated to the first described embodiment thereof, and further description would be merely repetitions.

It should be obvious that extremely useful fastening devices have been described, and in light of the detailed description of the embodiments of my invention presented above, it is thought that the operation of this invention will be easily understandable without further explanation. This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and advantages; and While I have shown and described above preferred embodiments thereof in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, I wish it to be speciiically understood that the same may be modified without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In combination, a material having an aperture defined therein, a gripping element having a body portion disposed adjacent one side of said material, said body portion of said gripping element being larger than said aperture of said material, said gripping element also defining an elongated tine portion secured at its one end to said body portion of said gripping element, said tine portion of said gripping element being formed of a thermoplastic substance, said tine portion being received within said aperture of said material and extending therethrough whereby the other end of said tine portion of said gripping element projects beyond the other side of said material, and lan anchor element having -a gene-rally centrally deiined aperture therein, said anchor element being received on the projecting other end of said tine portion of said gripping element so as to dispose said anchor element with one of its sides adjacent said other side of said material, said aperture defined by said anchor element being enlarged adjacent said one side thereof so as to define outwardly diverging side surfaces of said aperture, said aperture defined by said anchoring element also being enlarged adjacent the other side of said anchor element so as to define a generally arcuate socket, said other end of said tine portion being deformed by the application of heat thereto and thereby expanded within the socket portion of said aperture defined by said anchor element so as to secure said tine portion to said anchor element and also secure said gripping element to said material, said tine portion -being secured With-in said socket portion of said anchor element so as to permit pivotal movement of said gripping element with respect to said anchor element.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,965,175 Dolan July 3, 1934 2,002,466 Belden May 21, 1935 v2,366,274 Luth et al. Jan. 2, 1945 2,482,391 Webster Sept. 20, 1949 2,935,434 Dawson May 3, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 478,712 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1938 1,185,045 France Feb. 9, 1959 

